Tonga - Education

The first schools in Tonga were started by the Wesleyan Mission in 1828,
even before the conversion to Christianity of the Tongans, and
practically all primary education was controlled by the Mission until
1882 when the government took over the educational system. In 1906,
various missionary organizations again were allowed to establish
schools.

A teacher-training college, established in 1944, provides a two-year
course. A government scholarship program provides the opportunity for
Tongan students to pursue higher education abroad.Primary education is
compulsory for all Tongans. Adult literacy is estimated at higher than
90%. Mission schools, which follow a government syllabus, enroll about
8% of all primary pupils and 89% of students at post-primary level. No
tuition is charged at government schools (except the high school), but
small fees are charged at mission schools. In 1993 there were 16,792
pupils in Tonga's 115 primary schools, with 754 teachers. In the
same year, secondary schools enrolled 16,750 students. The pupil-teacher
ratio at the primary level was 21 to 1 in 1999. Elementary instruction
is given in the Tongan language; English is also taught. Selected Tongan
students prepare for the New Zealand school certificate examination.

loved the article my soon to be wife is a tongan and trained in Australia she came here at age 17 and i thank god and the tongan education system that she is here there needs to be more information about Tonga for the world to see as its people are beautiful three cheers for tonga Mike N